Common mistakes at every shutter speed (and how to avoid them)

At a basic level, shutter speed is used to control exposure, but it can also be used as a creative tool that freezes action or adds dramatic blur to moving subjects. However, whenever we venture outside our comfort zone, this is where we encounter problems.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t do it. All famous photographers will tell you they wouldn’t have achieved anything without leaving their comfort zone.

So in this tutorial we’ll explain some of the common mistakes you might encounter while trying to achieve the five classic shutter speed effects of freezing movement, blurring action, using blur creatively, long exposures and night photography.

After we look at some of the common problems within these shutter speed ranges, we’ll suggest the best shutter speeds for you to use to achieve these effects and offer our best tips for overcoming these errors.

If there are any we’ve missed, please do let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

SEE MORE: Shutter speed in photography: how to capture anything that moves!

Freeze Movement – 1/250sec and faster

Static-looking shots
With all the movement frozen, fast shutter speed shots can look too static. You can try tilting the camera for a more dynamic photo composition, but the best option is usually to use a panning technique.

SEE MORE: The Exposure Triangle: aperture, shutter speed and ISO explained

Blurred shots
If you have unwanted blur, then the subject was either out of focus, or it was moving too fast for the shutter speed.

Check that the subject hasn’t moved from your AF point. If the blur is down to subject movement, you’ll need a faster shutter speed.

Suggested shutter speeds for freezing action

Fast-moving cars, motorbikes or animals: 1/1000sec
Mountain bikes: 1/500sec
Waves: 1/250sec

What you can do
Shooting as many frames as possible isn’t always the best approach. Instead, try to shoot in short bursts when the action is at its peak.

This provides the best chance of capturing the best images, while allowing the camera enough time to write the images to your memory card without locking up.

SEE MORE: 10 things photographers can do to stop wasting pictures

Blur Action – 1/15sec to 1/250sec

Too much movement
If everything is blurred in your shot, try using a faster shutter speed that will capture the subject sharply.

If this freezes all the action then the subject isn’t staying in the same position in the frame. This is where your new panning techniques come into play.

SEE MORE: How does shutter speed work? A quick beginner’s guide

Not enough movement
If there isn’t enough blur in the background you need to use a slower shutter speed, otherwise your moving subject will look static.

If your shooting situation allows, you should try to alter the speed in small steps so that you can still get the main subject sharp.

Suggested shutter speeds for panning

Fast-moving cars, motorbikes or birds: 1/125sec
Mountain bikes close to the camera: 1/60sec
Mountain bikes, moving animals or running people: 1/30sec

What you can do
Using a burst of flash is a great way of ensuring that your subject is sharp when shooting subjects such as cycling and motocross.

It’s only useful when you can get close to the subject, though, so don’t expect it to make a difference to subjects such as motor racing if you’re a long way from the action.

SEE MORE: Best shutter speeds for every situation (free photography cheat sheet)

Creative Blur – 1/15sec to 1sec

Over-exposure
At slow shutter speeds, it’s easy for areas subject to large amounts of movement, such as the sea, to create over- exposure.

Take a test shot at the suggested settings and take a look at the histogram (or highlight warning) display to make sure the highlights are correctly exposed.

Suggested shutter speeds for blurred motion

Fast-flowing waterfall: 1/8sec
People walking close to the camera, or waves and slow-moving water: 1/4 sec

What you can do
In bright conditions you may find it difficult to get your shutter speed below 1/8 sec, even using the smallest aperture and lowest ISO settings.

Fitting a polariser onto the front of your lens is a great way of reducing the amount of light reaching the sensor, allowing you to reduce the shutter speed by half or more.

SEE MORE: 10 reasons your photos aren’t sharp (and how to fix them)

Long Exposures – 1sec to 30secs

Camera movement
Even with the camera mounted on a tripod it can still move, causing the image to blur. In windy conditions, try weighing down the tripod with your camera bag to minimise the movement.

It’s also worth checking that the feet of the tripod are on solid ground (check out our 4 tips for sharper shots when using a tripod).

Suggested shutter speeds to blur movement

Moving foliage in gentle wind: 30secs
Traffic trails: 20secs
Smooth seas: 15secs
Fast-moving clouds: 8secs
Waves, retaining some detail: 1sec

What you can do
If you’re shooting before sunrise or after sunset, the light levels will change quite rapidly. So you’ll have to set a smaller aperture (or use a faster shutter speed) as dawn approaches, or as it gets darker after sunset you’ll need to use a larger aperture (or decrease the shutter speed).

For more on how to do this, check out our photography cheat sheet on when to use a small or wide aperture.

SEE MORE: Expose to the right: the camera technique every landscape photographer must know

Night Photography – 30secs or longer

Hot pixels
Shooting long exposures can also result in hot (or stuck) pixels. These are individual pixels that appear much brighter than those around them due to their response to light.

Using the long-exposure noise reduction feature helps to reduce the visibility of these in your image, but you can also remove them using the Healing Brush in Photoshop.

Suggested shutter speeds for night exposures

Movement just visible in stars, or full moon-lit landscapes: 2 minutes
Distinct star trails: 10 minutes

What you can do
When shooting night photography it’s common for shots to have much more noticeable noise than normal. To minimise this problem most cameras have a long-exposure noise reduction feature, which can be activated via the main menu.

But there are times when you shouldn’t use it (for more on shooting at night, check out the 12 common errors of night photography – and how to fix them).

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